Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Pie Crust Ingredients:1 1/2 cup oats flour1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon sugar4 tablespoon coconut oil1/4 cup + 3 tablespoon of cold water Pie Crust Preparation: Oats flour is available in stores, I made the flour at home in a food processor by pulsing it a few times until it was fine in texture. To the flour I added salt, sugar and coconut oil, I mixed the ingredients with a fork until it was crumbly. Next, I slowly added cold water until the flour came to together to form a dough. I let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Unlike all purpose flour oats lacks gluten and it is not pliable and easy to roll. The dough tend to break. I will fix the broken ends as I work with the dough. I lined my work surface with baking paper and applied some oil over it place the dough on it and covered it with another sheet of baking paper and rolled over it with a rolling pin rotating the sheets of baking paper now and then until I had a 12 inch pie crust. I transferred the crust to the pie dish. Again, the crust will tend to break, I will use the broken pieces to cover the pie dish until it looks presentable.Apple Pie Filling:5 apples or 6 cups peeled, cored and sliced1 cup sugar2 tablespoon lemon juice1/2 cinnamon powder1/2 teaspoon nutmeg3 tablespoon corn starch1/4 cup walnut pieces3 tablespoon coconut oil1/4 cup regular oats

To a large bowl with the sliced apples add sugar, lemon juice mix and keep aside for 10 minutes until the juice comes out. After some of the juice is out add nutmeg powder, cinnamon powder and corn starch and mix. Next add some walnuts mix and pour it into the prepared shell. Spread the apples evenly. Apply some dab of coconut oil on top of the crust. Sprinkle with some regular oats and the pie is ready for baking.Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Ingredients:1 big tomato (9.20oz or 260g or 1 cup canned)1/2 cup masoor dal (lentil without skin or toor dal)2 green chilies or to taste1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder2 teaspoon rasam powder (recipe here)1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste1 tablespoon ghee1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder1/8 teaspoon or a pinch of asafoetida1 tablespoon lemon juice2 cups water or as needed per thicknessPreparation: To a pressure cooker on medium heat add the washed masoor dal, green chillies, turmeric powder, chopped tomato, and 1 cup water cover and cook for about 4 whistles or 10 minutes until the dal is cooked.After the dal is cooked add rasam powder, salt and some additional water and cook till it comes to a boil. Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes and turn the burner off. Add lemon juice or tamarind juice(if you are adding tamarind juice let it cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes to get the raw tamarind smell out) and chopped cilantro leaves.The rasam is now ready for seasoning.Season: To a pan on medium heat with 1 tablespoon of ghee or oil add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and wait for the mustard seeds to pop. When the mustard seeds pop turn the burner off add the black pepper powder and asafoetida and add it to the rasam. The rasam is now ready to serve.Serves 4

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

9 (5.10 oz or 144g) graham cracker 3 tablespoon butter1 teaspoon sugar1/4 all purpose flour1 cup yogurt1 tablespoon vanilla4 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese at room temperature1 (12 oz)can evaporated milk1 1/2 cup sugar2 tablespoon corn starch1 teaspoon baking powder1/4 teaspoon baking soda2 teaspoon orange or lemon zestBreak the graham cracker and powder it in the food processor. Add 3 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon sugar to it and mix. Press the mixture to the bottom of a spring form and a little over the edge, keep it aside. To prepare the pan wrap the bottom with aluminum wrap and place it on the baking tray.Make the filling in 2 steps.First step: In a small mixing bowl add the 1/4 cup all purpose flour, yogurt add vanilla and mix. Mix until the lumps are removed do not beat or over mix. Second step: To a larger bowl add cream cheese at room temperature, sugar and mix until sugar is well incorporated. Next, add the evaporated milk and mix. Lastly add the corn starch, baking powder, baking soda, lemon zest and mix until the ingredients are incorporated do not over mix or beat. To this mixture add the flour-yogurt mixture made earlier and mix again.Pour it over the already prepared graham cracker crust.Bake at 330F(165C) degrees for 2 hour. Allow it to cool. After it is nicely cooled run a knife over the edge to dislodge the cake from the sides.Before serving top with any fruit filling. I like to use cherry pie filling.